


Day Five: Hurt/Comfort

by Zorua_Illusion



Series: ZI's Genyatta Week 2k16 [5]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Other, descriptions of panic attacks, zenyatta's a goober
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-09
Updated: 2016-12-09
Packaged: 2018-09-07 11:36:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8799367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zorua_Illusion/pseuds/Zorua_Illusion
Summary: In which Genji is terrified and Zenyatta is calming. And a bit of a goober.





	

After the recall, the first few missions are simple, even easy. Not everyone responds all at once, so it’s a bit of a skeleton crew for about a month. Genji and Zenyatta come in on the tail end of this, both of them travelling together as they wrap up (in Zenyatta’s case) or begin (in Genji’s case) their projects. From Hanamura, they go to Gibraltar, where they meet Winston, Tracer, and Reinhart. Winston reports that Mercy has called ahead (though reluctantly) to say that she will come, but she has to finish her projects first and has no idea when they’ll be done. Two idols- Lucio and Hana Song- have also joined their ranks but are also finishing at different times. Genji is far more amicable than he was when he had left Overwatch in the first place, but he still spends the majority of his time with Zenyatta.

But slowly, ever so slowly, more and more people join Overwatch’s ranks. Some return, some are new, but all are striving for at least one thing: to make the world a better place.

However, as more and more people come, the situation in the world gets worse. And Overwatch, though mostly unofficial (seeing as it’s still very much prohibited by the UN), is beginning to make a name for itself once again. More and more places need their talents, and everything’s far more dangerous.

Genji knows Zenyatta can fight, and fight well – he and the monk have sparred before, and Genji has long since learned to see that which is generally not – but that doesn’t stop him from worrying.

His whole life, people have been in and out, fleeting as the wind. People would stay, perhaps for a while, but they would all leave eventually. Such is the life of a yakuza family.

Even the one he thought might be there forever had… well. That bridge was burned. And while Genji was trying to start building a new one, the old one could never be revived.

But Zenyatta… Zenyatta had seen him at his absolute worst, filled with anger and disgust and prejudice, and had found something in him worth saving, worth spending hours he should’ve spent recharging ensuring that the one who had become his pupil could ground himself back into the present of cold mountain wind and snow instead of pink cherry blossoms stained red-

Zenyatta had stayed with him, helped him pull out of the tornado of despair and rage he had stood in, and continued to aid him. Genji had helped his master in return, of course – as an Omnic, Zenyatta was in danger of being attacked, and Genji tried (with no small amount of effort) to protect his master. He had helped Zenyatta understand human customs that he may be unfamiliar with, such as make up. He also comforted him when Mondatta was assassinated. They’re more than just master and student at this point; they’re friends, partners, and allies. But Genji respects the roots of the relationship and so continues to call Zenyatta “master”. It appears that the omnic understood, even without Genji explaining it aloud. Well, being with someone for the majority of a handful of years will do that.

But as the missions get more and more dangerous, Genji’s worry increases. More missions are ending with someone in the medbay and one even has Jesse Mcree out for a week as his prosthetic hand recovers from an EMP that shorted out the robotics (luckily, none of the more robotic crew members were nearby at the time, else the medbay would be a lot fuller). Genji is terrified that the one being in his life who has stuck with him through thick and thin will be torn away.

And Iris, that’s a terrifying thought.

 

What Genji eventually comes to realize as he meditates on his fear is that the sentiment is probably shared. Zenyatta has long since taken up the mindset of “you cannot spell pacifist without ‘fist’”, but the two have been in enough spats that Genji knows full well his master worries over him. He’s been injured enough times to know that Zenyatta’s orbs take a little time as they process and convert energy, and that Zenyatta fears that it will be too much time required and not enough time had.

(He will also admit he’s not the most cautious of people. With the exception of his shuriken, all of his weapons are melee weapons, and even then the shuriken can be melee as well. Zenyatta has legitimate concerns about his safety because of this.)

He doesn’t ask. He’s not entirely sure how to. Well, tactically. He could go up and ask Zenyatta “Are you as terrified as I am about losing you during these missions because honestly every time we step out of transport it almost paralyzes me” and probably receive an honest answer but uh… yeah. Tact. Tact was good and needed because wow that sounds awful even in his head and wait shit he was meditating god _damn_ it he hasn’t been this distracted since he first started and

“Genji?”

It was futile to hope that Zenyatta didn’t notice Genji’s wandering thoughts. Genji had hoped the other would overlook it, but even that was a stretch.

“I am fine, Master. My thoughts got away from me for a moment.”

If Zenyatta had more than one facial expression, Genji knew he would be getting the most unimpressed stare. It was still conveyed rather well.

Genji fidgeted, fingers tangling with his ribbon out of nervous habit. Zenyatta waited, as per usual. Zenyatta could wait for rocks to weather if that was how long Genji took to find his words.

It stung his pride a bit, but Genji knew he would have to speak his thoughts eventually, so he might as well do it now. “I’m… scared, Master. That one day… after one of these missions-” Genji sucked in a breath, trying to stave of the frustrated tears he felt building, “-it will be you in the medbay- and- and that there… won’t be anything… anything…” Genji gasped as the tears slipped unbidden, unseen, but still known. He could feel the panic coming; now that’s he’s said it aloud, it’ll come true, and he can’t help but to see wires and parts strewn about carelessly, damaged beyond any hope of repair, staining the pink cherry blossoms the black-brown of the oily substance that served as Zenyatta’s blood of sorts and-

“Genji, may I touch you?” His master’s voice- calm, even, but firm- somehow managed to register.

Genji nodded and felt Zenyatta’s metal-warm hand on his shoulder. “I am Tekhartha Zenyatta. You are Shimada Genji. We are in the Watchpoint in Gibraltar, in room 2-3-17. It is currently 11:27 a.m. You were meditating. I am here with you, and was meditating beside you. There are no missions scheduled until next week. We are safe and well.”

Genji calmed, taking in the information. They had found that giving Genji something to hold onto and a sense of when he was helped ground him and was the most effective way of staving off his attacks.

“Are you with me?” Zenyatta asked gently.

Genji could feel his thoughts racing, waiting to break free once Zenyatta stopped reassuring him. He was coming back but he wasn’t all the way there yet, something Zenyatta picked up from the hesitation.

“Listen,” Zenyatta coached. “What song is playing?”

Zenyatta’s orbs bounced up and down, different symbols appearing as the orbs played different notes.

Latching onto it, Genji listened.

“Master… are you playing All Star?” Genji smiled at the ridiculous (and dated) choice.

“Perhaps.” Zenyatta tried to play it coy, but only managed for a few seconds before continuing. “I figured humor would be appropriate in this situation.”

Genji nodded, placing his other hand over the one Zenyatta still had on his shoulder. “Thank you, Master.”

“Of course, Genji.” Zenyatta waited as Genji collected himself after his attack. When he was done, the omnic continued.

“I fear the same thing, Genji. I dread to think that should the worst come to pass, that one of us would be injured beyond repair. But you cannot let this thought consume you, Genji. More danger would come to pass. That is not to say that your worry is invalid or wrong. But trust in me to be able to defend myself, as I trust in you to do the same.”

Genji turned more toward the monk, hugging him. While the action was unexpected, it was not unwelcome, and Zenyatta immediately hugged back.

“Thank you, Master.” Genji hummed as Zenyatta stroked the back of his helmet soothingly.

Zenyatta head bumped Genji affectionately. “Of course, Genji.”

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: So I actually wrote this prompt first; I love Hurt/Comfort Genyatta. Also tactile!Genji is my favorite. Zenyatta asking to touch Genji is not only super cute, but something I support full-heartedly as someone who struggles with personal spaces issues. I first saw the idea in celestialwhitenoise’s stories. Check ‘em out if you’re into Genyatta; the stories are amazing! (celestialwhitenoise.tumblr.com) It's in a bunch of other stories too and I love that this headcannon is gaining traction.  
> I also love goober Zenyatta. Don’t ask me how he plays All Star on his orbs; I’ll just say that the Iris has a sense of humor.


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